This invention relates generally to a vehicle door latch and more particularly to a vehicle door latch that has a forkbolt, a detent for holding the forkbolt in a latched position, a release mechanism for moving the detent to a position releasing the forkbolt and a power operated lock mechanism for disabling the release mechanism.
An automotive closure, such as a door for an automobile passenger compartment, is hinged to swing between open and closed positions and conventionally includes a door latch that is housed between inner and outer panels of the door. The door latch functions in a well known manner to latch the door when it is closed and to lock the door in the closed position or to unlock and unlatch the door so that the door can be opened manually.
The door latch is operated remotely from the exterior of the automobile by two distinct operatorsxe2x80x94typically a key cylinder that controls the lock mechanism and an outside door handle or push button that controls the release mechanism.
The door latch is also operated remotely from inside the passenger compartment by two distinct operatorsxe2x80x94a sill button that controls the lock mechanism and an inside door handle that controls the release mechanism. Vehicle door latches for upscale automobiles also include power door locks in which the lock mechanism is motor driven and/or a keyless entry in which a key fob transmitter sends a signal to a receiver in the vehicle to operate a motor driven lock mechanism.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,277,461 granted to Thomas A. Dzurko et al Jan. 11, 1997 for a vehicle door latch, which is hereby incorporated in this patent specification by reference, discloses a typical door latch of the above noted type. The door latch disclosed in the Dzurko ""461 patent includes an unlatching lever that is pivotally mounted on a stud that is secured to a metal back plate and a metal face plate at opposite ends. An unlatching lever is operated to unlatch the vehicle door by an inside handle lever that is connected by a suitable linkage for rotation by an inside door handle (not shown). Unlatching lever is also operated by an outside handle lever that is connected by suitable linkage for rotation by an outside door handle (not shown).
The Dzurko door latch also includes a locking lever that is pivotally mounted on the stud. Locking lever is operated by an inside locking lever that is pivotally mounted on the flange of the metal face plate near the inside handle lever. The inside locking lever is operated by an inside sill button or lock slide through a suitable linkage (not shown). Locking lever is also operated by an outside locking lever that is operated by a key lock cylinder through a suitable linkage (not shown). In some instances, for example in upscale automobiles, locking lever is also power operated by a remotely controlled linear electric motor or the like in a well known manner (not shown).
The door latch disclosed in the Dzurko ""461 patent is unlocked and unlatched in the following sequence. First the locking lever is moved to the unlocked position by the inside locking lever, the outside locking lever, or in the instance of a vehicle equipped with power door locks, a remotely controlled motor. This moves the intermittent lever to the unlocked position. After the door latch is unlocked, the door latch is unlatched by moving the unlatching lever via inside handle lever or outside handle lever to the unlatched position pulling intermittent lever and detent down to unlatch the door lock. The vehicle door then may be pushed or pulled open manually.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,328,219 granted to Jeffrey L. Kochan et al Jul. 12, 1994 shows vehicle closure latch of the same general type. U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,019,402 and 6,053,543 granted to Frank J. Arabia et al Feb. 1, 2000 and Mar. 25, 2000 respectively also show a vehicle closure latch of the same general type. The vehicle closure latch disclosed in these latter patents include an optional power actuator assembly and an optional double lock assembly.
The object of this invention is to provide a vehicle door latch that is compact, durable and versatile while providing room for the efficient packaging of a power actuator assembly and a double lock assembly should either or both of these options be desired.
Another object of the invention is to provide a vehicle door latch that has a power actuator assembly that is compact.
A feature of the vehicle door latch of the invention is that the vehicle door latch has a housing that includes chambers for the efficient packaging of a power actuator assembly and a double lock actuator assembly in a unique way to reduce space requirements, particularly height requirements.
Another feature of the vehicle door latch of the invention is that the vehicle door latch has a power actuator that has an improved centering device.
Yet another feature of the vehicle door latch of the invention is that the vehicle door latch has a power actuator that has a centering device that includes separate return springs for returning the power actuator to a neutral position from the locked and unlocked position, respectively.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the description below, which is given by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings.